Which Super Eagles hitmen have found the net three times in a single top flight game?

Few African nations—if any—have as strong a legacy in the Premier League as Nigeria, with greats such as Joseph Yobo, Jay-Jay Okocha and Finidi George all having tasted life in the top flight.

However, which of Nigeria’s top stars have achieved the laudable feat of having scored a hat-trick in the Premier League?

In this feature, Goal’s Ed Dove celebrates the quintet of Super Eagles frontmen to have scored three goals in a Prem fixture.

5. Kelechi Iheanacho

Iheanacho became the latest Nigerian to score a Prem hat-trick this weekend when he netted three times for Leicester City in their 5-0 rout of Sheffield United.

It was a truly emphatic display by the striker, who finally begun to answer some of the critics who have doubted his ability to either replace Jamie Vardy or prove he can be the long-term answer for the Foxes.

He must maintain his recent form throughout the course of a season, but seven goals in eight games—including Sunday’s outstanding display—was an excellent return.

4. Efan Ekoku

Nigeria’s first goalscorer in the Prem, Ekoku scored four goals—including a hat-trick—in a 5-1 victory for Wimbledon against Everton.

It was one of the attacker’s most outstanding performances in the top flight, and for the Dons, with whom he amassed 123 league appearances across five seasons in the Prem.

Despite scoring 37 league goals for Wimbledon, Ekoku never netted in his brief Super Eagles career.

3. Peter Odemwingie

Odemwingie was, for a time, beloved by West Bromwich Albion fans, and his hat-trick against their Black Country rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers certainly helped.

That treble, which came in a 5-1 victory in 2012, was one of his finest moments in the top flight, with the attacker also enjoying stints with Cardiff City and Stoke City.

He struggled to replicate his Baggies scoring form with the Super Eagles, scoring just 10 in 63 outings for the national team.

2. Yakubu

With a whopping four Premier League hat-tricks under his belt, Yakubu holds the record as the African player with the most top flight trebles in the league’s history.

He doesn’t truly get the credit he deserves for his sensational goalscoring form in the top flight, and indeed, only 13 players have scored more hat-tricks than the Yak.

The forward netted his last treble in December 2011, while with Blackburn Rovers, having previously represented Everton, Middlesbrough and Portsmouth.

1. Nwankwo Kanu

He may not have as many hat-tricks as Yakubu, but no one can deny that Kanu is the greatest of Nigeria’s five Premier League hat-trick scorers.

Kanu is also responsible for Africa’s greatest treble in the top flight, having scored three in the space of an astonishing 15 minutes against Chelsea during the 1999-2000 season.

In that match, he transformed a 2-0 lead for the Blues into a 3-2 victory for Arsenal, and it remains perhaps the greatest single performance of his club career.

Spending123:
This is not our problem for now, let's finish with Fuel and electricity hike in the country first.

femi4:
Ojoro

Yakubu should be no1, Kanu had just one

Yakubu had a whopping four Premier League hat-tricks under his belt,

Princealoba:
It is unfair not to have Ayegbeni on the number one spot...

Kanu is a great player but this is about hat trick and Yak deserves[b] his [/b]place...

addexx:
Waiting for iwobi hatrick

Igbankpa:
I still never forgive yakubu. if you know you know.

joshjc:
Nice one from them, guys today is my birthday,I bless the most high jah for keeping me alive, happy birthday to me

femi4:
Ojoro

Yakubu should be no1, Kanu had just one

Yakubu had a whopping four Premier League hat-tricks under his belt,